Venetian blind holder



April 16,1946. aw, O E 2398,52 4

VENETIAN BLIND HOLDER Filed July 3'1, 1944 III IN V EN TOR.

w GEORGE W- F'oose ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 16, 1946 PATENT OFFICE VENETIAN BLlNUHOLDERE George W. Foose, Sparks,,Nev.-

Application July 31, 1944, Serial No. 547,466

4 Claims. (Cl. 160-173) This invention relates to holding devices, and more especially to a holder for Venetian blinds and the like.

An object of the invention is to provide a simple inexpensive device for holding in closed or drawn position a Venetian blind, to prevent it from flapping in the wind.

Another object is to provide such a device which will stretch the blind slightly downwardly to apply tension over the whole blind.

A further object is to provide a blind holder that can be applied to and disconnected from the blind almost instantly.

A still further object is to provide such a device with means for universal and ready positioning to any window sill, and adaptable to fit blinds of different widths.

All these and other objects as suggested herebelow, are attained by the means now to be described, and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which- Figure 1 is a side perspective view, partly in cross-section, of a preferred embodiment of the invention, shown in position on the sill, and affixed to one end of the blinds lower slat.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the lower portion of a Venetian blind, and indicating the placement of the holding means on both ends of the lower slat.

And Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the device of Fi l.

Like numerals refer to like parts throughout 7 the several views.

The complete device, of which two are needed to hold the complete blind against flapping, is shown considerably enlarged in the drawing. For instance, there is shown a latch pin I2, which in use may comprise a steel pin some one-eighth inch in diameter; other dimensions would generally correspond.

Pin l2 has an operating knob II on its outer end, and its opposite end terminates in an enlarged ball portion M, as clearly shown in Figs. 1

and 3.

The support pin 18 has preferably a wood-screw threaded and pointed lower end portion l9 adapted to be screwed into position at either end of the upper surface of the window sill 2|. Its upper end has suitable means for connecting to the end of a spiral spring, such as an internallyrecessed pin 20.

Member I8 is the support for a sliding sleeve member l5, which overlies its upper end portion, as clearly shown, and which terminates in the in which latch pin I2 is laterally and slidably mounted. Immediately below the pin [2 is a spring-holding pin l1 extending through sleeve IS. A spiral spring l6, largely distended or condensed when in operative position, is positioned loosely within sleeve l5, its upper hook portion |6a held by pin I1, and its lower hook portion lBb centrally held by pin 20. Thus latch pin 12 is urged downwardly by spring l6 compressing and drawing its supporting sleeve telescopingly downward toward window sill 2 I.

Latch pin I2 is positioned in its loose hole in sleeve [5 so a major portion of its length extends between its support and the ball end M. A spiral spring I3 loosely surrounds this pin portion, its outer end abutting the ball l4 and its opposite end engaging sleeve-casing portion l5a; to mount this spring in such position, the ball end 14, for instance, may be a separate piece threaded into latch pin l2, this obvious feature'not being disclosed. When in operative position, this spring I3 is largely sprung outwardly or extended, as shown.

The typical Venetian blind comprises a lower slat 22, and a plurality of upper slats 24 (a portion of one only being shown), and a pair of spaced flexible straps 23 to hold all the slats in spaced relation and by which they may be tilted to open or closed position. A semi-spherical recess is formed in the center of each end of lower slat 22, adapted to pivotally retain the outer end portion of balls M. This recess is numbered 22a.

To install the invention, a pair of the holding devices are screwed in the window sill just below the ends of the blinds, and such that balls It will engage recesses 22a and be held therein, yet permitting latch pin [2 to be withdrawn by means of knob H to disengage the blind, as to raise it. Spring I6 tends to urge balls M on latch pins l2 downwardly to a position somewhat below the free-hanging position of slat 22 and recesses 22a, so it is first necessary to pull up on knob II to extend spring It to align the ball in its hole; also to pull outwardly or to the right and so to compress spring l3. When released, ball l4 springs into recess 22a and then spring 16 contracts to stretch the whole blind downwardly, and thus hold it securely, as against flapping or accidental derangement.

Having now described the invention, what is claimed as new, and for which Letters Patent of the United States is desired, is:

1. In a Venetian blind, means for holdmg its free-hanging portion against excess movement,

sleeve's upper end in a pierced casing portion [5a, including spring-retained holders removably entelescoping sleeve surrounding the support pin and attached thereto by a spiral spring; a knob-1 ended latch pin laterally slidable in the upper end of the support pin and having also a slat-engaging ball end, and a spiral spring between the ball and the support to urge the ball away from the support.

4. In combination, a pin, a wood screw on one end thereof and spring-attaching means on the other end, a telescoping sleeve overlying the upper portion of the pin and connected thereto by a contained spiral spring, and a latch pin laterally movable across the upper end of the sleeve, and havinga ball-shaped slat-engaging end and an opposite end with finger-engaging means, and

a spiral spring surrounding the latch pin between the ball and the sleeve and adapted to move the balliaway from the sleeve.

GEORGE W. FOOSE. 

